Elaine nips Shelly in world-leading 10.73 to cop 100m
Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson brought the house down with a scintilating world-leading 10.73 clocking to win the 100m just ahead of two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was second also in 10.73 at the JAAA Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.
Thompson, who started slowly got into top gear and caught the fast-starting Fraser-Pryce close to home for the second year running.
Seventeen-year-old Briana Williams was third in 10.94, and for the umpteenth time, she has lowered her national junior record and became the first Jamaican teenager to dip below the coveted 11-second barrier.
Meanwhile, Yohan Blake won the men’s 100m in 9.96 ahead of Tyquendo Tracey in 10.00. Rasheed Dwyer was third in 10.10 with Senoj-Jay Givans fourth in 10.13.
Earlier, Christine Day was the quickest into the semi-finals of the women’s 400m with 51.47. Chrisann Gordon won heat two in 51.91, while Stephenie Ann McPherson outbattled Shericka Jackson to win heat four in 51.97. Jackson, with the World Championship bronze medallist jogging the first 200m and was second in 51.98 and has a lot more in reserve.
American Shamier Little won heat one in 51.48, but won’t be able to participate in the final. Anastasia LeRoy was second in 52.45 and through to the semi-finals.
A depleted looking men’s 400m already without Akeem Bloomfield and the injured defending champion Christopher Taylor, saw Nathon Allen failing to turn up for his heat, along with the promising Karayme Bartley, who had a 45.80 clocking this season.
Terry Thomas of Racers Track Club won heat hree in 45.83, which is the fastest heading into the semi-finals. Sean Bailey, the brother of Veronica Campbell Brown, won heat two in 46.08, while Javon Francis was second in heat four in 47.36 running out of lane eight. Wayne Lawrence won in 47.15.
National record holder Rusheen McDonald looked good and won heat five in 46.67 ahead of Demish Gaye with 46.77. Former Calabar High star Anthony Carpenter, now representing Akan, was fourth in 48.16.
— Howard Walker
